As a NATO member nation, Turkey has supported U.S. global security measures in the past, such as hosting U.S. military capabilities during the Cold War. While the Turkish policy with the Kurds has been long standing, the U.S. decision to use them as a security device is relatively recent.

If allowed to run in the upcoming election, Navalny would be guaranteed airtime on state television and thus the ability to take his allegations of government corruption straight to the Russian populace, who rely solely on state media networks for election coverage.

In light of Russian President, Valdimir Putin’s, aggressive movements towards the centralization of the Russian state, it is little wonder that this upcoming election is distinctly lacking any serious competition.